Progressively illuminated signs

ABSTRACT

Illuminated signs are disclosed. Each of these signs has a viewing screen located with respect to a projector so that any of a series of different film or transparency frames may be projected on the screen by the projector so as to be capable of being viewed from the front of the screen. In each of these signs a shutter is continuously moved so as to control whether all or a portion of the projected image can be viewed on the screen. Means are provided for periodically projecting a different film frame in accordance with the shutter operation.

United States Patent [72] Inventor James F. Davis 17154 Nordholl SL,Northridge, Calif. 91324 [21] AppLNo. 751,551

[22] Filed Aug. 9, 1968 [45] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 s41 rno'cnsssrvsmILLUMINATED SIGNS 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 353/75, 353/22 [51] Int. Cl. ..G03b 21/ G03!) 21/14 [50]Field of Search 353/97,75, 76, 77, 78, 88, 93; 350/266, 273, 275; 40/110, 161, 162

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-LeonardFonnan Assistant Examiner-A. J. Mirabito Attorney-Edward D. O'BrienABSTRACT: illuminated signs are disclosed. Each of these signs has aviewing screen located with respect to a projector so that any of aseries of different film or transparency frames may be projected on thescreen by the projector so as to be capable of being viewed from thefront of the screen. 1n each of these signs a shutter is continuouslymoved so as to control whether all or a portion of the projected imagecan be viewed on the screen. Means are provided for periodicallyprojecting a different film frame in accordance with the shutteroperation.

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saw u or 4 4 INVENTOR JAMES F 04 we EDWARD D. OBE/AA/ A Tram/5rPROGRESSIVELY ILLUMINATED SIGNS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DRAWINGS Thepresent invention pertains to the field of progressive signs. Such signsare commonly used for advertising purposes, although they are capable ofbeing used for other somewhat different purposes.

It is commonly recognized that to be effective an advertising signshould be of such a character as to readily attract attention. Many ofsuch signs are of a fixed" character in that they have only a single,unchangeable advertising message which can be viewed. Frequently such afixed" sign will contain a picture or illustration designed to attractattention to the message per se. Because of the inherent nature of suchsigns of a fixed" character normally an individual will only give them apassing attention. This limits the effectiveness of such a sign foradvertising purposes.

This has resulted in the development of various different types of signswhich continuously change. It is considered that the motion or actioninvolved in such a change effectively tends to attract the attention ofan individual so that instead of merely glancing at a sign a person willtend to look at it for a longer period than he or she would look at afixed type of sign. A large variety of different types of movable orchangeable signs have, of course, been developed and to various extentsused.

In the past various efforts have been directed toward providing movableor changeable signs which not only contained an advertising message butalso contained an image or picture which would tend to attract anindividuals attention. Such signs while undoubtedly to a degreeeffective are not considered to be as effective as possible because ofthe nature of their constructions and the manners in which a picture anda text message are used together in conjunction with such signs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide new and improved illuminated signs which are much more desirablefor commercial purposes than various prior related signs such as arebriefly indicated in the preceding discussion. Another objective of thisinvention is to provide illuminated signs of a socalled progressivecategory in which various different images are sequentially displayedand in which at the same time may be display different advertisingtexts. A further objective of this invention is to provide advertisingsigns of the type indicated which are relatively inexpensive, which maybe constructed without difficulty at a nominal cost, which giveprolonged effective performance and which because of their constructionmay be easily and conveniently serviced whenever required.

These and various other objectives of this invention are achieved inaccordance with this invention by providing illuminated signs, each ofwhich includes a viewing screen adapted to have an image projected onit. A projector means such as a common slide or film projector islocated so as to be spaced from this screen. Optical means are providedin conjunction with such a projector means for projecting an image froman individual film frame such as a frame on a continuous stripof film oron a slide onto the viewing screen. Shutter means are also provided forperiodically interrupting at least a part of the projected imageprojected by the projector means so that such part cannot be viewed onthe viewing screen.

Cooperating actuating means on and adjacent to the shutter means in sucha sign periodically cause the projector means to project different ofthe tilrn frames used onto the projector screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The actual details of this invention as well as many advantages of itwill be apparent from a detailed consideration of the remainder of thisspecification, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view, partially broken away, showing theconstruction of an illuminated sign of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view, partially broken away, showing theconstruction of a modified illuminated sign of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view, partially broken away, showing theconstruction of a further modified illuminated sign of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view, partially broken away, showing theconstruction of a still further modified illuminated sign of thisinvention; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view, partially in diagrammatic form, showing astill different further modified illuminated sign of this invention.

Those skilled in the art of advertising signs will realize from a reviewof the accompanying drawings in conjunction with the remainder of thisspecification that the basic features or principles of this inventionmay be embodied within other differently constructed and differentlyappearing advertising signs through the use or exercise of routineengineering skill or ability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION housing 12 soas to extend across this entireopening 14. The

screen 18 is of a known type which will enable an image projected on itsback surface to be viewed at its front.

A conventional projector 20 is located within the housing 12 so as to bespaced from the screen 18. The projector 20 il- Iustrated in FIG. 1 ofthe drawing is of a conventional type capable of projecting any of aseries of slides 22 held on a magazine 24 on it and of sequentiallyprojecting different of its slides 22 held by the magazine 24 when acontrol signal is fed to this projector 20 from a switch 26 through aconventional wire 28.

When a particular slide 22 is in a projecting position within theprojector 20 the image from such a slide 22 is conveyed by what may betermed optical means to the surface of the screen 18 facing the interiorof the housing 12. In the structure shown such optical means include alens system 30 mounted on and forming a part of the projector 20 and twodifferent mirrors, 32 and 34, mounted at angles with respect to oneanother so as to transmit an image projected from the projector 20through the lens system 30 to the surface of the screen 18 facing theinterior of the housing 12.

In the sign 10 parallel rollers 36 are mounted on the housing 12adjacent to and spaced from opposed edges 38 of the opening 14. Othersimilar rollers 40 are mounted on this housing 12 back of the mirror 34.Also a drive roller 42 is mounted on the housing 12 back of the mirror34. This drive roller 42 is connected to a conventional electric drivemotor 44. A bracket 46 is also located upon the housing 12 adjacent toone of the rollers 40. This bracket 46 carries a tension roller 48 andis biased as shown toward a corner of the housing 12 by means of springs50. All of the rollers described are located parallel to one another andare preferably provided with end flanges 52.

This series. of rollers is intended to support transparent endless belt54 serving as a shutter so that this belt 54 may be moved from left toright past the surface of screen '18 facing the interior of the housing12 during the operation of motor 44. It will be noted that the belt 54extends in a more or less labyrinth type of path around all of thevarious rollers described. It will also be noted that this belt 54 isprovided with an opaque area 56 which extends across the belt 54 andwhich is preferably about twice the linear width of opening M and withcontinuous, stepped opaque areas 58, 59 and 60 which extend partiallyacross the width of the belt 54 and which are approximately equal to thewidth of opening 14 for each step. Other than these opaque areas of thebelt 54 are transparent to light.

It will also be noted that the belt 54 is provided with a small opening62 located adjacent to an edge of it adjacent to the leading verticaledge of opaque area 56 on belt 54. This opening 62 is located so as tobe capable of being engaged by a spring biased by an actuating arm 63 ofthe switch 26 each time the belt 54 has moved past a single point on itspath of travel.

During the operation of the sign 10, power is supplied to the projector20 and to the motor 44. This causes the projector 20 to project theimage on the film or transparency on a single one of the slides 22 sothat such an image is projected upon the screen 18 when completelytransparent areas of belt 54 permit this passage of light to screen 18.Thus such an image may be viewed from the front of housing 12. The belt54 is continuously moved through the operation of the motor 44 as theentire sign is operated. The opening 62 is preferably located so thatwhen the opaque area 56 of the belt 54 blacks out the viewing screen 18the switch 26 is actuated by the arm 63 engaging this opening. This inturn actuates the projector so that the next successive slide within theseries of slides in the magazine 24 will be projected toward the screen18 during the interval when this screen 18 is blanked out because of theposition of the area 56 on the belt 54.

As the trailing vertical edge of opaque area 56 moves across the screen18, that part of the image not blocked by contiguous first-steppedopaque area 58 is projected on screen 18. As this area 58 andsubsequent-stepped opaque areas 59 and 60 are moved so as to shield thescreen, the effect is that the image being projected on screen 18 isprogressively wiped on. The total image then appears on the screen 18 asthe clear portion of belt 54 passes with respect to the face of screen18. The clear or transparent portion of the belt 54 is preferably atleast three times the width of opening 14. Then as the leading edge ofthe area 56 moves across the screen 18, the whole projected image isprogressively wiped off and during this interval when no projected imageis visible another slide is positioned and projected and the progressivewiping-on and wiping-off cycle is repeated.

This wiping-on and wiping-off effect is considered advantageous from anattention-getting viewpoint. It creates the illusion of animation in anotherwise static projected image. With the particular sign 10 variousindividual portions of the image will be blocked from view as a part ofsuch wiping action. Such portions of the image may correspond toportions of an advertising message located in areas of a slide 22corresponding to the areas blocked off on the screen by areas 58, 59 and60 of belt 54. The ability to display progressively and in reading ordera message contained on an individual slide 22 is considered to be animportant aspect of the complete sign 10. It will be realized that theopaque areas 56, 58, 59 and 60 on the belt 54 can be varied or changedas desired for a particular application. It will also be realized thattransparent areas of different types can be located in these opaqueareas.

In FIG. 2 of the drawing there is shown a modified advertising sign 70of the present invention which is exceedingly similar to the sign 10.All of the parts of the sign 70 directly correspond to various parts ofthe sign 10 and operate in the same manner as these parts. For thisreason all of the parts of the sign 70 are designated by the primes ofthe numerals previously used to designate various parts of the sign 10.

The sign 70 differs from the sign 10 in that the belt 54' passes aroundrollers 36' which are mounted so that this belt 54' extends in front ofthe screen 18' across the opening 14'. This screen 18' is mounted on thehousing 12', but is mounted in such a way as to permit the belt 54' tobe located in this manner.

In FIG. 3 of the drawing there is shown a further modified sign 80 ofthis invention which is also exceedingly similar to the sign 10. Itutilizes a housing 82 having an opening 84 in its front side 86. Ascreen 88 corresponding to the screen 18 is located on this opening 84.A projector 90 corresponding to the projector 20 is located within thehousing 82 so as to be spaced from the screen 88. Although thisprojector 90 shown here is of a type utilizing a continuous loop of film92 having individual film frames 94 located on it, it is also of a knowntype. It is adapted to advance for projection successive of the frames94 when a conventional switch 96 connected to the projector 90 by a wire98 is actuated.

In the sign 80 an optical means as previously described including a lenssystem 100 and mirrors 102 and 104 corresponding to the lens system 30and the mirrors 32 and 34 are employed. This lens system 100, however,is constructed so as to include an opening 106 dividing it intosections, each of which is used for projection purposes. An endlesstransparent belt 108 corresponding to the belt 54 traverses this opening106. This particular belt 108 is carried by sprockets 110 which arerotatably mounted on a subbase 112 used to support the projector 90. Aconventional drive motor 114 is connected to one of the sprockets 110.Although it is not considered necessary with this embodiment of theinvention, a tension roller such as the roller 48 used upon a movablebracket may be used in conjunction with it. The belt 108 contains areas116 and 118 corresponding to the areas 56, 58, 59 and 60 previouslydescribed and an opening 119 corresponding to the opening 62 previouslydescribed for the purpose of actuating the switch 96.

The operation of the sign 80 is essentially the same as the operation ofthe sign 10. For this reason it is not considered necessary to describeits operation in detail herein. The sign 80 is considered preferable forsome purposes because the belt mechanism employed with it is muchsmaller than the belt mechanism employed with the signs 10 and 70previously described.

1n P10. 4 of the drawing there is illustrated a further modified sign120 of this invention. This sign 120 is exceedingly similar to the sign80. For this reason all parts of the sign 120 which directly correspondto various parts of the sign 80 are not separately described herein, andin the remainder of this specification and in the drawings aredesignated by the primes of the numerals used to describe these parts inconnection with the sign 80.

The sign 120 uses a housing 82'. Within this housing 82 is an opening84'. The screen 88' is of a conventional front projection type and islocated within this housing 82 so as to be capable of being viewedthrough this opening 84. If desired this opening may be covered with asheet 122 of a transparent material such as glass to prevent theaccumulation of dust within the housing 82.

A projector 90' is located within this housing 82' so that frames 94 ofthe film loop 92' are projected during the operation of this projectorupon a mirror 102' so as to be reflected upon the screen 88'. The imagefrom frame 94 so reflected can, of course, be viewed through the opening84'. With this construction the mirror 104 used with the sign 80 is notneeded and is therefore not used.

Except as specifically indicated in the preceding, the optical means orstructure used with the sign 120 is identical with that employed in thesign 80. Similarly, the belt 108' in the sign 120 is employed as thebelt 108 in the sign 80. As the sign 120 is operated the belt 108 iswound so as to block out all and later portions of a projected image andso as to cause a periodic change in such an image as previouslydescribed in conjunction with other embodiments of this invention.

In an embodiment of a sign of this invention illustrated in FIG. 5 aconventional projector 132 corresponding to the projector 20 previouslyemployed is used to project an image from any slide 134 ofa series ofslides held by a magazine 136 in the manner previously describeddirectly upon a conventional viewing screen 138. The projector 132 maybe mounted in any convenient location, as, for example, upon a platformat one side ofa room and the screen 138 may be mounted at the other sideof the room.

With the projector 132 a transparent endless shutter belt 142 is mountedupon sprockets 144 on the platform 140 so as to pass in front of thelens system 146 of the projector 132. if desired this lens system 146can be considered as an "optional means. This belt is normallycontinuously moved by a small motor 148 connected to one of thesprockets 144. The belt 142 has opaque means 149 corresponding to theareas 56, 58, 59 and 60 previously described.

It also carries a small opening 150 which is adapted to actuate the arm152 of a conventional switch 154 so as to cause sequential operation ofthe projector 132 so as to cause the projection of successive slides,134. Appropriate electric cords 156 are used to supply power to theprojector 132, the motor 148 and the switch 154 for the purpose ofcontrolling the operation of the mechanism described.

During the operation of the sign 130 a series of different images aresequentially projected onto the screen 138 as the belt 142 is moved.During such motion of the belt 142 as an area 149 blocks off theprojected image this image is changed through the actuation of theswitch 154, causing operation of the changing mechanism of the projector132. By these means results are achieved which correspond to the resultsobtained with the previously described signs 10, 70, 80 and 120.

These signs of this invention are considered to be particularlyadvantageous as with them a series of different images such as views ofscenery, different areas, or the like may be projected in such a mannerthat these views attract an individuals attention and yet are used insuch a way that changing advertising messages are used in conjunctionwith them. It will be realized that this invention may be modified invarious different ways without changing or departing from the type ofaction achieved with it. Thus, for example, the various projectorsindicated may be interchanged and the types of belt shutters used withthese can be modified in accordance with routine engineering skill. Forthese reasons the invention itself is to be considered as being limitedsolely by the appended claims forming a part of this disclosure.

lclaim:

1. An illuminated sign which includes a housing having a front opening,a viewing screen located in said opening, said screen having a front anda back and such that an image projected on the back of said screen maybe viewed from the front of said screen;

projector means for illuminating an image, of one film frame of a seriesof film frames and for advancing said film frames so that different filmframes are projected, said projector means being spaced from saidscreen; optical means for projecting an image illuminated by saidprojector means onto said viewing screen; shutter means for periodicallyintercepting at least part of an image illuminating by said projectormeans so that said intercepted part cannot be viewed on said viewingscreen, said shutter means comprising an endless partly transparentbelt, means for supporting said belt and means for continuously movingsaid belt, said belt having an opaque area extending completely acrossthe width of said belt perpendicular to the direction of movement ofsaid belt and having continuous, stepped opaque areas which extendpartially across the width of said belt so that said belt is capable ofdisplaying progressively a message contained on a single film framebeing projected by said projection means; and cooperating actuatingmeans, one of said cooperating means being on said shutter means forperiodically causing said projector means to illuminate the next of saidfilm frames of said series when no projected image is visible on saidscreen, the other of said cooperating means being connected to saidprojector means. 2. An illuminated sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein:said belt extends in between said viewing screen and said projectormeans. 3. An illuminated sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said beltextends in front of said viewing screen.

4. An ill iminated sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said opticalmeans includes a lens means, said lens means having an opening thereinwhich divides said lens system into sections, and said belt extendsthrough said opening.

1. An illuminated sign which includes a housing having a front opening,a viewing screen located in said opening, said screen having a front anda back and such that an image projected on the back of said screen maybe viewed from the front of said screen; proJector means forilluminating an image, of one film frame of a series of film frames andfor advancing said film frames so that different film frames areprojected, said projector means being spaced from said screen; opticalmeans for projecting an image illuminated by said projector means ontosaid viewing screen; shutter means for periodically intercepting atleast part of an image illuminating by said projector means so that saidintercepted part cannot be viewed on said viewing screen, said shuttermeans comprising an endless partly transparent belt, means forsupporting said belt and means for continuously moving said belt, saidbelt having an opaque area extending completely across the width of saidbelt perpendicular to the direction of movement of said belt and havingcontinuous, stepped opaque areas which extend partially across the widthof said belt so that said belt is capable of displaying progressively amessage contained on a single film frame being projected by saidprojection means; and cooperating actuating means, one of saidcooperating means being on said shutter means for periodically causingsaid projector means to illuminate the next of said film frames of saidseries when no projected image is visible on said screen, the other ofsaid cooperating means being connected to said projector means.
 2. Anilluminated sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said belt extends inbetween said viewing screen and said projector means.
 3. An illuminatedsign as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said belt extends in front of saidviewing screen.
 4. An illuminated sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein:said optical means includes a lens means, said lens means having anopening therein which divides said lens system into sections, and saidbelt extends through said opening.